Florianópolis, a capital with a lot of protected nature: parks, forest, beaches and trails
About 41% of Florianópolis's land area sits in protected areas, according to the city. Parks, Atlantic Forest, beaches and trails to visit.
By The MagicXP team9 min read
A capital on an island, with a lot of protected land
Florianópolis is an unusual capital: about 97% of the municipal territory lies on Santa Catarina Island, which averages 55 km long and 18 km wide, and the 2022 Census counted 537,211 residents. A UFSC study, citing a 2019 report, puts the urbanized area at about 78 km², less than 19% of the island part.
According to the Municipal Environment Foundation (Floram), about 41% of the municipality's land area is protected by conservation units, 21 in all: 10 municipal, 3 state, 5 federal and 3 private reserves (RPPN). We did not find the date or the method of the calculation on the page, and counts differ: the UFSC study lists 20 units on the island part.
The main conservation units
Each category has its own rules, and some units do not receive visitors. Floram is the municipal body, IMA the state one and ICMBio the federal one. Before going to any of them, check visiting arrangements with the managing body.
| Unit | Management and category | Area | What it protects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lagoa do Peri Municipal Natural Monument (formerly a Municipal Park) | Floram, natural monument, Law 10,530/2019 | 4,274 ha | Forest and the freshwater Lagoa do Peri, in the south |
| Rio Vermelho State Park | IMA, full protection, Decree 308/2007 | 1,532 ha | Restinga, dunes and forest between Moçambique and Lagoa da Conceição |
| Carijós Ecological Station | ICMBio, full protection, Decree 94,656/1987 | about 730 to 760 ha | Remnants of mangrove and restinga |
| Pirajubaé Marine Extractive Reserve | ICMBio, sustainable use, Decree 533/1992 | 1,687 ha (1,444 ha in the decree) | Sustainable use of marine resources by traditional extractive communities |
| Meiembipe Municipal Wildlife Refuge | Floram, wildlife refuge | about 60 km² | Massifs and water sources of the center-north of the island, next to neighborhoods such as Ingleses and Praia Brava |
| Serra do Tabuleiro State Park | IMA, full protection, created in 1975 | about 84,000 ha, across 8 municipalities | Hillside forest, islands and the southern tip of the island, with water sources |
| Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve | ICMBio, full protection, Decree 99,142/1990 | 17,104 ha (17,600 ha in the decree) | Islands and waters north of the island, with turtles, rays and seabirds |
Swipe to see the full table
Areas vary because the decree and measurement by geoprocessing do not always match: Carijós appears with 718 ha in the decree, 729 ha in the national register and 759 ha on the ICMBio page. Meiembipe measures 59.7 km² according to a 2022 news report and about 56 km² in Floram's preliminary study.
Tabuleiro brings protection to the mainland ranges and to the southern tip of the island, and is part of the core zone of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve. Arvoredo extends protection to the sea north of the island, with its administrative office in Jurerê. ICMBio lists sea turtles, sharks, rays, groupers and seahorses there among the threatened species the unit helps to protect, but says nothing about visits.
Atlantic Forest: woodland, restinga and mangrove on the island
According to IPUF, as cited on Wikipedia, the island's vegetation includes dense ombrophilous forest, mangrove and restinga, all considered part of the Atlantic Forest biome. In Rio Vermelho State Park, about 11% of the area is forest, 54% is restinga and 35% is land altered by pine, eucalyptus and other exotic species, planted from the 1960s to fix dunes and now treated as invasive.
The Atlas of Atlantic Forest Municipalities, from 2004, counted 18,032 ha of remnants in Florianópolis, which the report presents as 42% of preserved areas. In 2015, a study by SOS Mata Atlântica and INPE covering 14 years, reported in Pernambuco, put only Porto Alegre and Florianópolis ahead of Recife in natural vegetation among the capitals. These figures are old, and we did not find a current comparable value. Nationwide, the 2024-2025 Atlas estimates that the Atlantic Forest still covers about 24% of its original area.
The 2020 Municipal Atlantic Forest Plan identified 68 priority areas for conservation. In the north they include the Rio Vermelho headwaters, the Ingleses dunes, the Capivari River, the northern massif (now largely inside the Meiembipe refuge) and the Papaquara corridor, areas that help explain the natural richness of the north of the island.
Beaches for every taste
For a long time it was said that Florianópolis had 42 beaches. A survey commissioned from IPUF, to comply with a municipal signage law, mapped more than 100. We did not find a single official count, so treat the number as an order of magnitude. The variety is part of the appeal:
- Many beaches: some are little known and have more than one name, according to Wikipedia.
- Surf beaches: Wikipedia cites dozens of beaches with suitable waves, and Joaquina hosted world-circuit events in 1986, 1987 and 1989.
- Lagoons: Lagoa da Conceição is saltwater and Lagoa do Peri is freshwater, according to Wikipedia.
- Only on foot or by boat: Naufragados and Lagoinha do Leste, which call for a trail or a crossing.
Before getting in the water, check the bathing-water quality: IMA publishes reports with a blue flag (suitable), red (unsuitable) or gray (undetermined), the latest dated 16 October 2026. Check before you go.
Well-known trails, with the caveat that distances vary
We did not find an official guide with standardized distances and levels. The values below come from public route listings (Komoot, news reports and blogs) and vary. Treat them as orders of magnitude and check the route before setting out.
| Trail | Where it starts | Distance | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morro das Aranhas | Santinho beach (north-east) | 5.8 km as a loop to 8.5 km out and back | Easy to moderate | Viewpoint at about 250 m, according to Komoot |
| Ingleses to Praia Brava (Ponta da Feiticeira) | Northern end of Ingleses beach | About 2 km each way | Not rated, with many rocks | Crosses the headland between the two beaches |
| Rio Vermelho ecological trail | Rio Vermelho State Park | About 1 km | Short, with walkways | Free, groups of up to 30 people (2014 details) |
| Costa da Lagoa | Canto dos Araçás, Lagoa da Conceição | About 7 km (tour operator listing) | Medium | The commercial tour returns by boat |
| Naufragados | Caieira da Barra do Sul | 2 to 4 km each way, depending on the source | Easy to intermediate | In Serra do Tabuleiro State Park, also by boat |
| Lagoinha do Leste | Pântano do Sul or Matadeiro beach | About 2.2 km (Pântano do Sul) or 4 km (Matadeiro) | Hard | Beach reached by trail, which calls for preparation |
Swipe to see the full table
Frequently asked questions
How much of Florianópolis is protected by conservation units?
About 41% of the land area, according to Floram, in 21 units: 10 municipal, 3 state, 5 federal and 3 private reserves (RPPN). We did not find the date or the method of the calculation, and the UFSC study lists 20 units on the island part.
How many beaches does Florianópolis have?
For a long time the figure was said to be 42, but a survey commissioned from IPUF mapped more than 100. We did not find a single official count, so treat the number as an order of magnitude.
What are the main conservation units on the island?
Among the main ones are the Lagoa do Peri Municipal Natural Monument, Rio Vermelho State Park, the Carijós Ecological Station, the Pirajubaé Marine Extractive Reserve, the Meiembipe Municipal Wildlife Refuge, Serra do Tabuleiro State Park and the Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve, which protects islands and waters north of the island. Each has its own visiting rules, so check with the managing body before going.
What are the best-known trails in Florianópolis and how do you prepare?
Among the best known are Morro das Aranhas, Ponta da Feiticeira between Ingleses and Praia Brava, the Rio Vermelho ecological trail, Costa da Lagoa, Naufragados and Lagoinha do Leste, with distances from public route listings that vary. Firefighters advise telling someone your route, carrying a GPS app on your phone, water, a snack, warm clothing and a rain jacket, checking the forecast and calling 193 in an emergency.
Can you visit every conservation unit in Florianópolis?
Worth checking before you go: each category has its own rules and some units do not receive visitors. The Carijós Ecological Station, for example, only receives environmental education visits, according to Wikipedia, so check visiting arrangements with the managing body (Floram, IMA or ICMBio) before going.
Sources
- Floram, Unidades de Conservação em Florianópolis (41% of land area, 21 units, MONA Lagoa do Peri)
- Floram, preliminary study for the Meiembipe Municipal Wildlife Refuge
- MMA, National Register of Conservation Units, report on the Pirajubaé Marine Extractive Reserve
- MMA, National Register of Conservation Units, report on the Carijós Ecological Station
- MMA, National Register of Conservation Units, report on the Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve
- ICMBio, Carijós Ecological Station (area, decree and threatened species)
- ICMBio, Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve (area, decree, address and threatened species)
- Wikipedia, Carijós Ecological Station (restricted visits)
- Wikipedia, Rio Vermelho State Park (area, vegetation and ecological trail)
- Wikipédia, Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro (area, municipalities and Biosphere Reserve core zone)
- Wikipedia, Serra do Tabuleiro State Park (water sources and southern tip of the island)
- NSC Total (2022), Florianópolis amplia o número de áreas de preservação ambiental (Meiembipe)
- Rakssa and Ferretti (UFSC), Distorções entre o Plano Municipal da Mata Atlântica e o Plano Diretor de Florianópolis
- Wikipédia, Florianópolis (IPUF, beaches, Atlantic Forest, 2022 Census)
- Wikipédia, Geografia de Florianópolis (island dimensions and number of beaches)
- Agência Fapesp (2004), Atlas dos Municípios da Mata Atlântica
- Diario de Pernambuco (2015), Recife é a terceira capital em preservação de Mata Atlântica
- INPE, Atlas da Mata Atlântica 2024-2025
- IMA, Balneabilidade (reports and flag legend)
- Komoot, Morro das Aranhas (5.8 km and 8.5 km routes)
- Komoot, Naufragados trail
- Komoot, Lagoinha do Leste trail
- NSC Total (2021), Trilhas de Florianópolis: 9 trajetos para visitar no verão
- NSC Total (2025), report on the Lagoinha do Leste trail (with fire brigade advice)
- Civitatis, Costa da Lagoa trail (commercial listing)
- Viagens e Caminhos, Praia dos Ingleses (trail to Praia Brava)
- Original research (October 2026): national register of conservation units, ICMBio, Floram and IMA pages, UFSC studies, news reports and public trail listings
Text published in October 2026 from public sources: the Ministry of the Environment's national register of conservation units, ICMBio and Floram pages, academic papers, news reports, trail listings and Wikipedia. Unit areas and trail distances differ between sources and are orders of magnitude where flagged.